Mercy as the way for the members of the Oyugis Integrated Project in Kenya

The word “Mercy” is very dear to us as employees of Oyugis Integrated Project (OIP). Why? Because mercy is seen as bringing life to those situations where all seems hopeless. Mercy is God’s gift to us and in turn, we are exhorted to share that gift with others. Mercy is seen as love … and love is doing something for someone else. It requires self-sacrifice and availability. Being merciful comes from the heart and cannot be copied from others.

Mercy never asks for a “how” and a “why” because in the poor we are moved by the divine touch of God. Mercy releases us from self-interest that seeks our own safety and security. Mercy flows from the simple unconditional love of God. Mercy is rooted in our hearts.

As merciful people we must be simple workers in the hand of God. In the poor, we are confronted by the face of God. In the face of the poor we see Christ, who reveals to us the divine essence of human beings. The question we must ask ourselves: Do we really see the face of Christ in the poor? That will happen only when our love is pure and simple, when we are in a close relationship with those men and women who are poor.

Christ Himself is the model of poverty. Christ in his total self-forgetfulness with regard to His divine dignity wants to be born of a poor mother; He chose a poor tradesman as a foster-father, and in all things he opts for poverty. Christ has shown us that poverty is the way to get to heaven.

When we see the face of Christ in the other person, His presence fills us with joy.